RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. – The Washington Women’s rowing team traveled down to California this weekend to race in the annual Head of The American regatta. The Huskies took home the gold in both the Women’s Collegiate 8+ (16:51.5) and Women’s Collegiate 2- (19:44.7) races.

“Our priority coming down here was racing pairs,” head coach Bob Ernst said. “We did that and we got a good result. We had the top four places and eight boats in the top 11 finishers.”

The team always focuses on pair racing and skill development in the fall season and it showed in today’s race. Junior Elizabeth Vogt and Senior Kirstyn Goodger won the pair’s race and were followed across the finish by three more UW pairs.

The Huskies then had a couple of hours to regroup and get ready for the 8+ race. Those top four pairs made up the victorious varsity UW 8.

“We turned around in two hours and then won the 8 too,” Ernst said. “This is the best we’ve ever done at this regatta. It was a really good day for our team. The fact that we did so well in the 8 race, as our second event of the day, against the teams that were only racing in the 8 was really great.”

The second Husky 8 (17:47.2) was filled with the next four finishing pairs from the UW.

Up next for the team is a return to the Montlake Cut to take on among others, Stanford and Washington State in the annual Head of the Lake regatta on Nov. 03 at 8:00 am PT.